The Halfway Point: A 2010 Music Review
Songs, records, cds, downloads, whatever.
National, International, Regional, Rewinds & Letdowns

By SMS Editorial & Contributing Writers:
Chip Copeland (cC)  |  Alex Danger Stewart (aDs)   |  Dave DeCastris (dD)  |  Andrew Whorehall (aW)

We apologize for being a bit late with this, it’s been in the works for 2 months. It’s our rookie attempt to cover the first half of 2010. Below is a brief list of what Sock Monkey Sound has been listening to and recommends at the 2010 halfway point. With so little time and money, we’re sure we’ve missed a bunch so leave your comments at the bottom of this very long, hopefully informative, blog post.

Cheers.
SMS > cC  |  aDs  |  dD  |  aW
08.07.2010

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cC suggests:

NATIONAL RELEASES

Admiral Radley "I Heart California"

Admiral Radley - I Heart California 1/2 Grandaddy + 1/2 Earlimart = Pure Awesomeness!

Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record Always liked Broken Social scene in the past but this record is tighter and more efficient in delivering the goods and the promise of this band. This is the kind of cohesiveness I wish Sonic Youth was still able to muster these days.

Stars – The Five Ghosts: Waaaayyy better than their last record, In Our Bedroom After the War, almost hitting the same knd of highs that were evident on Set Yourself on Fire.

Family Band – Miller Path I’ve really been wrapping myself up in this moody and exquisite album that is spooky and drenched in atmosphere in much the same way as The Nationals latest. Imagine a darker and more haunting version of Mazzy Star and you’re on the right track.

Field Music – Measure Proggy and yet still remaining very song oriented. Reminiscent at times of The Sea and Cake, an evenly enjoyable listen.

Honorable mentions:
Teenage Fanclub - Shadows

REGIONAL / INDIE / LOCAL RELEASES
Because of Sock Monkey Sound I’ve discovered more local indie artists than ever before. So most of what I’ve been listening to is lesser known bands from around here or elsewhere.

The Braves – The Leaves are Black / Quiet Hushed Animals: I make no apologies that I love this band, I know these guys and have been equally amazed at how good they all are at their craft as evidenced by their solo projects and new bands that they have gone onto form. The fucking shame about this record is that unless you know someone in Rockford, IL that knows one of the guys in the band YOU”LL NEVER HEAR THIS RECORD.

I fault the band for not being more proactive in making these songs available via Bandcamp.com or on a website. They don’t have to charge anything if they don’t want to but I think there is an audience that is willing to fork over $5-$8 bucks for an 18 song download.

Until then, folks can buy their last official release Love and Mercy on iTunes for $8.91 or Emusic and after you listen to that email thebravestheband@hotmail.com and demand that they make ALL OF their music available for download online. 30 years from now The Braves will be remembered as one of those great unsung regional acts that never found an audience in their day but influenced a slew of younger acts from Rockford.

Ex Norwegian – Sketch This Florida based band continues to craft tight yet creative power pop that reminds me of Badfinger, Big Star, and that other power pop band from Rockford that everybody talks about excessively. Can’t wait to see them at the first Sock Monkey Sound showcase show September 1st at Kryptonite Bar.

Geronimo! – Fuzzy Dreams Man, is it still 1993 or what. I wish I still owned flannel so I could sport it at the next Geronimo! show. These guys are tight but the intros at the beginning of these songs work better in a live setting than on record. A solid effort by some nice dudes.

The Felix Culpa – Sever Your Roots It’s not often that a band with no money, no label, and a 3 year gap in between albums is able to record a record as intricate as Sever Your Roots. While not a perfect record it is certainly impressive that a regional at is able reach a level of this quality, much like The Braves did on Quiet Hushed Animals. I’m interested in seeing them release something again- hopefully in a timelier manner.

The Projection People – Self Titled Once again here’s another band from the region, Madison , Wisconsin to be precise, that is making very precise and expressive music without major label support. Great arrangements and musicianship abounds on this record and if you get a chance be sure to see them live. Fans of Minus the Bear are sure to enjoy this group. See also: Jane by The Cemetery Improvement Society which features some of the members of TPP.

REWIND
Sun Kil Moon – Ghosts of the Great Highway The first line of Carry Me Ohio says it all:
sorry that
i could never love you back
i could never care enough
in these last days

LETDOWN LISTEN
Prince – 20Ten Once a great artist that has fallen prey to the trap that comes with the seclusion of being a massive star: losing touch with what’s out in the real world. The internet”s dead? F*ck you Prince. F*ck you in your stupid little ass-less pants you short little prima-donna. After you complain about not getting paid and advance for putting your stuff on iTunes how about you consider all the artists that are really struggling to make a name for themselves while making music that still matters. At least you get royalties off all the songs that continue to get played on the radio. Which won’t happen for most other musicians because major corporations like Clear Channel have a monopoly over terrestrial radio; a system that you strive so hard to fight against yet you try to perpetuate the old system of dying record labels. No amount of “genius” or “talent” can change the fact that you’re probably just an A$$hole.

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aDs suggests:

The National "High Violet"

NATIONAL RELEASES
The National-High Violet:  I’ve said it a couple of times but I’ll justifiably say it again.  This album is tearing me apart.  It’s like a soundtrack to social anxiety.  Over thrumming guitars Matt Berninger sings, “Venom radio and venom television.  I’m afraid of everyone, I’m afraid of everyone. They’re the young blue bodies/with the old red bodies.”  Walking through the city on my way to class, I nod along as the whole world collapses around my headphones.  “I’m afraid of everyone,” he continues, “I’m afraid of everyone.  I don’t have the drugs to sort it out.  Sort it out.”  You and I both, dude.  You and I both.  This isn’t an album for feeling alone in a crowded room.  This is an album for feeling alone on a jam packed sidewalk, keeping an eye on the sky; waiting for a hunk of building to crumble off and come crashing down on your skull. It’s sonic self medication.  It rips open old scars and sticks a finger in the wound, just to see you squirm a bit before stitching it back up again.  Yeah, this album sticks with you.

INTERNATIONAL RELEASES
Male Bonding-Nothing Hurts Male Bonding is a band from Bristol. That’s in England, innit? I’m not quite sure what exactly this band promises but it delivers on that promise.  Simply put, this band is loud, fast, and dirty.  The tones are skuzzy and the songs are short.  This band and I share a clear love of 1990 Sub Pop.  I sing along, when I can, and shake my hair when I can’t.

REGIONAL
Geronimo-Fuzzy Dreams: There’s no two ways about it.  Geronimo will make you hurt.  They will squish your brain and punch you in the diaphragm.  Halfway through the opening song, “Thunderbattles,” one thing becomes clear: this is a band that is not afraid to write songs with riffs.  Sometimes this band likes to play fast, and sometimes they like to be atmospheric.  Though they are not always entirely sure footed, they constantly move forward with a jittery energy and another pounding of the snare.  The songs on this album make shit move.  That is, until the last song.  “Judgment Day” comes as a kiss-off disguised as a hug.  It acts as a campfire sing-along and a palette cleanser.  To say it sounds like Dust era Screaming Trees is the greatest praise I can give.

REWIND
Jim O’Rourke- Eureka I’ve always been somewhat of a fan of Mr. O’Rourke.  The albums that he worked on with Wilco and Sonic Youth number among my favorite for each band and his reputation as a Chicago composer and experimental musician is most stellar.  I spun the hell out of his 1997 album “Bad Timing,” last year.  Why then, did it take me so long to pick up more of his albums?  I don’t rightly know but 1999’s “Eureka,” has been pulling me back again and again.   As a work, it stands apart from many of O’Rourke’s albums in that it finds him molding his usual compositional elements into the form of Bacharach-esque pop songs (including covers of songs by Bacharach and Ivor Cutler).  Even within such forms, O’Rourke’s signature style shines through.  Each song beginning with an intricate finger style guitar passage, a minimal percussive rattle, or a slight buzz of synthesizer, and building from there.  There are never random moves.  Each is deliberate and gradual.  Like the cinematography in a Rossellini film, you find yourself so focused on the current image that you barely notice the change until two minutes later when it has molded itself into an entirely different song.  Then you smile.

LETDOWN LISTEN
Sleigh Bells-Treats Everything I read in the ramp up for this album described it as noise pop.  “Perfect,” I thought, imagining way too fuzzy guitars and fun, crooked harmonies to match, “I love noise and pop.”   Pitchfork said it, “…felt like rides at an amusement park, and I’d get a feeling in my stomach when the first notes kicked in: Here we go.” They used words like, “jackhammer riffs,” “beats from hip-hop and electro,” and, “supremely catchy sing-song melodies.”  Yes!  I thought I had found my summer party album.   No.  This duo sounds like all of the things that are wrong with M.I.A.’s new album (which is to say most of it).  When Indie groups use the word pop it’s supposed to mean old pop.  Not that Lil Wayne guitar album that everyone has agreed to forget.  The aesthetic of simulated stereo destruction works sometimes.  Sometimes Not when it’s used for the entirety of every song!  Clearly there is some disconnect between what was described and what exists.  One can hardly blame the band for that.  What I can blame them for is making an album that fails the only requirement of party jams.  It’s not danceable (unless the only dance move in your arsenal is the stutter step).  It doesn’t make me want to get down, or fuck, or chill, or drink.  It makes me want to hide.  This album isn’t fun.  That’s unforgivable.

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dD suggests:

Spoon "Transference"

NATIONAL RELEASES
Spoon-Transference: Minimal, dark, droning, mechanically rhythmic,pop songs that build on each other, exploding into little moments. Perfect imperfections.  A fully realized production that honors their lo-fi past & recent ventures with equal amounts of focus and abandonment.  This record stands at an artistic cross roads for them. On first listen, as the cover photo suggests, “I’m bored, what are we gonna do next?”  A brilliant orange lamp siting next to the bored individual on the cover serves as a metaphor for focus and inspiration, just look at what’s around you in a different light.  “Transference” pushes their artistic ceiling slightly higher.  Their artistic foundation, Daniel & Eno, sound stronger than ever while digging deeper, continuing to search for new sounds, patterns and rhythms together unlike most veteran indie bands and musical partnerships.

ALSO:
The National – High Violet
The Mynabirds –  What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood

INTERNATIONAL
The Radio Dept.- Clinging to a Scheme Sweet, sweet, sweet sugary pop songs from Sweden that recall the finer moments of the Pet Shop Boys with a darker edge.

REGIONAL RELEASES
Joie De Vivre – The North End Young, intelligent, college kids playing off of punk emotion, setting the pace and exploding;  midwestern mood rock a decade later.  Spring love, Summer arguments, Fall heartbreak, Winter recovery,  The midwest for many of our youth growing up here. That is “The North End.”  Joie is completely out of step with today’s youth rock, they’re too smart for any scene anywhere in America right now– and all for the better.  Sit through one listen and you’ll know right away that seeing them live will be no different than putting on their record.  Like Neil and Crazy Horse, this is what ya get live too- no pretending.  “The North End” secretly implies they have no aspirations to entertain you with a light show or fancy new outfits from Hot Topic,  just empty cans of beer.   Honest brooding, rock n’ roll high on emotion and slow, steady delivery.  “The North End” owes as much respect to other regional indie acts that inspired them in their teens, The Braves, as it does to other regional & national acts that has defined the midwest underground, Mike Kinsella inspired projects (Joan of Arc/American Football/Owen).   ‘North End’ serves as a soundtrack for trying to live through your early 20s in Northern Illinois through a recession, limited opportunities, and heartbreak.  It’s a solid declaration from a young band that is only going to get louder, funnier, darker, softer and wiser with each new letdown & recording to follow.  Here’s hoping they keep it together long enough before becoming sick of each other.

Lizard Skynard – Self-Titled Lizard Skynard, despite having a perfect frontman (Lizardman) for the kids are a monstrous rock band.  Imagine Henry Rollins/ Part Deftones meets Kevin Shields and the boys from Kyuss in a train station to make space metal.  The Skynard boys (Chicago/Austin/Vancouver) feed off of lead guitarist, Jason “Mossy” Vaughn’s (Machesney Park/Rockford), wall of guitar nob turning and pedal shifting theatrics.  Vaughn’s playing is mesmerizing, turning speed metal riffs into reverb, delays, morphing into small, well-intended melodies– no different than a classical Dmitri Shostakovich film production, chaos amidst the darkness drifting into melody.  With or without Lizardman reciting monologues on top of the band, it’s a complete sound of life on earth coming to a loud, water washed horrific & beautiful end.  Produced by Greg Norman @ Electrical Audio in Chicago over the course of 1 week this past winter, this self-titled debut by a band that started as a ‘what-if’ idea in the back of a Jägermeister bus (driven around the country for 4 years to festivals and arenas by Mossy & his wife, Dana) is anything but a ‘what-if’ idea.  Every member plays as if their lives, and that of  Planet Earth’s, depends on these 30 minutes put to record for a listener’s lifetime.

REWIND LISTENS
Neil Young – American Stars N’ Bars Released in 1978, it’s often discarded as a hodge podge collection of Uncle Neil’s throwaway gems that bounce between his country rock/folk stylings and manic garage rock epic.  Often cited for featuring the magnificent, “Like a Hurricane,” a song probably more responsible for Wilco’s post Jay Bennet guitar freakouts.  Especially on their Neil inspired, “Spiders (Kidsmoke).”  Before you even get to  ‘Hurricane’ there’s country flavored ear candy in “This Old Country Waltz,” “Hey Babe,” “Hold Back The Tears,” and “Star of Bethlehem.”  After spending most of my life living in “Zuma,”  my personal Uncle Neil desert island pick, “American Stars N’ Bars” has consumed my car CD player with a few more mentioned above for the early half of 2010.

Big Star- Keep Your Eye on The Sky (Box Set) There’s a line from a famous Replacements song on “Pleased to Meet Me” named in honor for the late “Alex Chilton” (who passed away earlier this year) that goes;  “I never travel far without a little Big Star.”  I don’t think I’ve gone one year in existence since my first exposure in college to Big Star’s 1974 classic song, “September Gurls,” by a fellow classmate.  It changed the way I spell and now type, ‘gurls.’ IT inspired many songs in shoeboxes stored away trying to write any song worth having a “Gurl” in it.  It has appeared on every other cassette, cd mix I’ve made for so many people over the years.  The tragedy in sharing that one song to anyone unaware of Big Star’s brief recorded 1970s magic is that every Big Star song is worth sharing.  Every single f*cking song.  This box set, like their 3 formal studio recordings is always within an arms length for playing.

LETDOWN LISTENS
Teenage Fanclub – Shadows I expect too much out of my favorite artists I’ve grown up with.  The Fanclub’s latest is just….  a complacent listen.  They sound older, beaten… maybe that’s natural.  I’m not ready to accept this record yet.  I will return to it one day.

Broken Bells- Self-Titled I love Brian Burton’s production, his playing, everything he does as ‘Danger Mouse.’  I’ve become fond of James Mercer’s writing over the years for The Shins but not always his choice in song production or arrangements after the home made debut.  The best song he’s written is “Good For Good” on “Chutes Too Narrow.”  He’s never come close to that song’s simplicity since, lyrically or musically.   It’s a shame to these ears to want more out of the guy.  The template is there, obviously, for something more within himself.  Hearing about this project in advance had me excited thinking, “Mercer, you’ve befriended Brian Burton, you sneaky bastard.”  This is just a boring sit-through listen by 2 respectable young artists seeking mutual ground and settling for safe, electro-pop.  I can’t help but think ‘Danger Mouse’ had to take a step down to Mercer’s musical shortcomings to make this work.  Which, again, another reason I think Brian Burton is an amazing artist.  I look forward to another release by this combo but this one is the sound of 2 great talents trying to figure each other out still.  Yawn.

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aW suggests:

LCD Soundsystem "This is Happening"

NATIONAL RELEASES
LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening If I were a woman and I had to give birth to a child because someone planted an evil, gifted seed inside me, I’d want James Murphy to provide the juice.  What a brilliant artist, performer, engineer, producer.  This record tops off a 10-year run of 3 very important modern day recordings that focus on punk, disco, classic rock, pop, glam, indie, folk, funk and electronic arrangements set to Murphy’s urban, personal, lyrical observations.  Not a great vocalist at all, but this is a great artist at his peak.  His playful instincts and ability to take his own influences to meld into wonderful, weird American records that calm and explode with ideas is never short of amazing.  See the synth freak out on the Bowie-Heroes inspired “All I Want” for an example that makes every musician, or anyone that can feel, think with goosebumps, ‘sweet Lord, punch me in the face, that’s awesome.”

ALSO:
Peter Wolf-  Midnight Souvenirs
Damien Jurado- Saint Bartlett

INTERNATIONAL RELEASES

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach Blur frontman, Damon Albarn can do no wrong.  Who else could put out a fake cartoon band doing a political record about our planet’s future demise featuring Lou Reed and Snoop D-O-Double G?  Brilliant record, brilliant pop, brilliant social commentary.  If a record could ever win a Pulitzer based on intelligence, craft, spiritual and political messages- this has the best chance.  One of those rare records you can dance to, f*ck to, eat to, work to– plus sit and think about it after it’s ended.  Repeat.

REGIONAL RELEASES
The Pimps - Fuck this shit, we’re outta here Veteran local punks, a joyous love letter of sorts to our despicable city, country, music industry and capitalism.  The Pimps tap into the same great punk, rock n’ roll, hillbilly glam spirit other legendary bands from the Midwest tapped into for shorter amounts of time.  Difference is, The Pimps haven’t changed for anyone 9 records in.  Indifference, contemplation, F words and aging rarely sounds this joyous.  Read More about the record here.

Judah The Lyrical Rev- “Rockford Files” Midwestern hip hop artist I want to here more from based on just one little song passed to me on the internets that I can’t stop listening to this year.  I believe it was written awhile ago but it should be a city anthem, a national cry for federal help.  The power in the song’s lyrics, Judah’s smooth delivery is equal parts proud, educative, angry, sad and desperate.  Like many people, like me, living in Rockford, IL

REWIND LISTENS

The Flaming Groovies- Shake Some Action One of the 70s great critically respected, but commercially unsuccessful, American rock bands.  After spending years emulating a hybrid of The Stones and Velvet Underground on great releases like “Teenage Head” and “Flamingo,”  the Groovies signed with major label, Sire, to release a late 70s power pop rock canon of songs tight on harmonies and classic pop arrangements.  Think Buddy Holly fronting the 1963 Beatles and converging in the late 70s for a record together.

Sparklehorse- Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot I remember the day I bought this at Val Halla’s in Oak Park, IL.  The kid, who shall remain nameless for now, running the counter suggested it.  He also passed me tapes of Golden Smog and Wilco practice sessions in Chicago that previous summer.  He advised me to buy this record based on a secret love for Cracker / David Lowery at that time.  Lowery produced this Sparkle thing I hadn’t heard of and I Wasn’t too happy with major label releases around this time, dipping deeper into the Chicago releases.  However, the kid with strange music connections always passing me tapes and DAT sessions I, nor anyone should have had, sold me.  Those first few Mark Linkous (who is Sparklehorse) compositions destroyed me driving in my green buick, playing it from a portable cd player rigged to a tape deck adapter driving to an awful job in Oak Brook from Oak Park the next morning.  Brittle, angry garage/glam rock balanced out by some of the most fragile cosmic folk songs I’d ever heard at that time.  What would be Side B on any vinyl copy, the amazing run of songs 7-12 plow my soul.  Hammering the Cramps/ The Most Beautiful Widow in Town / Heart of Darkness into Someday I Will Treat You Good ending with Sad & Beautiful World into Gasoline Horseys… Jesus Christ, cmon.  I get goosebumps just thinking about these songs.  Mark Linkous, I doubt you knew you’d be missed by so many strangers sharing the same feelings as you.

LETDOWN LISTENS

WZOK / 97.5 Rockford About 90% of what they play offends my ears and then my brain freaks out and quivers, I get dizzy.

WXRX/ 104.9 Rockford About 91% of what they play causes diarrea at home or epileptic reactions while driving.

Could local radio get any worse than those 2 pay to play garbage dumps?  Yes.  They’re everywhere and they are a sickness.  An awful aural disease infecting millions of Americans with poor music tastes.  It’d be one thing if the music played were just bad, but the commercials and the DJS are as horrendous to listen bable on about pop culture nothings.  Rockford radio is so bad they make the kids from MTV’s Jersey Shore sound brilliant.

A little taste of Pre-Yankee Chicago.

August 28th marks the 10 year anniversary of one of Drag City Record’s most peculiar and beautiful E.P.’s. Featuring 4 original songs by label owner, Rian Murphy, and mastermind songwriter, Will Oldham, along with many prominent Chicago musicians. {Archer Prewitt, Bill Callahan, Kelly Hogan, Edith Frost, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Jim O’ Rourke, even Albini assists– and many more.}

by Dave DeCastris |  August 2010

With regards to the E.P. format and artists who still release them, they tend to come and go, a transistion piece for many bands and artists.  Rarely do they leave a listener in awe as “All Most Heaven” did 10 years ago and now.  Produced by Drag City label owner, Rian Murphy, with many from the Chicago indie underground helping out, this e.p, turns 10 years old this month. Aging, memories and survival has become marked by my favorite recordings;  this being one.

Four classically arranged pop songs, burst with color and group sing alongs to bizarro childish lyrics.  Some of the words being sung aren’t even words.  ”I am the bmal bahl” and “da da d hail the ga” make random appearances in the opening sing-along song, “Fall Again.”  Bill Callahan or Jim O’Rourke’s identifiable vocals (or are they Rian’s?) opens the record to be met by Will’s, who carries the rest of the E.P.  I’ve never figured this out about the E.P., who really is doing what? I don’t want to.  The joy in listening to this E.P. repeatedly is trying to identify the Chicago area musicians on it.   The joy is felt in every one of their performances.  Rarely does an E.P. with many collaborators sound so joyful and well-rehearsed. By the end of “Fall Again,” you’ll be singing along like a child, giddy, or a pirate, drunk.

Rarely does nonsense feel this religious, rejoiceful and absurd.  Is this listening experience kinda like falling in love with a crazy person?  Or  maybe to some it’s like believing in a random idea put forth by one of the many crazy religious organizations out there involving their money making myths about the Lord, God, Creation? Sure and sure.

I’ve never figured out the lyrics to any of the songs on this E.P., I don’t want to.  The way they sit, sung so passionately by Oldham on top of classical pop arrangements and major melodies are mesmerizing.  Chords and vocals are performed so smooth for anyone’s ears.  Your elders can cook afternoon soup to this and hum like many do to Andrea Bocelli records on Saturday and Sunday late afternoons. Rian Murphy, Archer Prewitt, Jim O’ Rourke and God knows who else must have been a joy to watch in the studio.  This is one of the finest collaborations ever caught on tape.  For years I’ve had this theory that Stephen Malkmus of Pavement makes an unlisted, vocal guest appearance behind Oldham during the 2:30 mark on track 2.  I doubt it but this is the myth I’ve created for myself listening to this E.P. for 10 years.  Take a listen and then create your own.  That is what it means to love music.

Track 2, “Fall and Raise It On,” contains these random lines;  ”sell me a peach o’ the ba ho… ate for the sake of all… waig an as’ a tode…”  Phonetically absurd, Oldham taps into what I’ve always assumed is a sailor’s heartbreak on tracks 2 & 3, companion pieces based on subtle references to boating or being a sailor?  Maybe just being drunk in love?  Strings, horns and backup singers weave ooos and ahhhs below and above the ocean’s moans.  ”Song of Most” recalls John Cale’s, “Paris 1919.”  Bouncing strings and congos rise to pass through a pointless chorus eventually joining subtle back up singers giving way to an amazing line that goes;  ”ah ee stood ape-hole.”  The song continues to rise, the strings magnificent, the background ‘ahhs’ louder, washboard and timpani join in.

Just when you’re accepting this E.P. may contain the most beautiful 3 songs you’ve ever heard that mean nothing and feel everything, the last cut takes shape, “Song Of All.”  It’s a slow reward for a closer requiring about 1:50 till the rest of the gang joins in briefly for what remains of this 4 song masterpiece.  It ends and you want to repeat track 1, “Fall Again.”

Featuring 2 of indie rock’s most prominent influences in Chicago area label owner, Rian Murphy (Drag City), and a critically acclaimed songwriter, Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billie/Palace Brothers), nothing defines the beutiful strange midwestern/Chicago music scene pre-Yankee Hotel Foxtrot so well as this does.  This E.P. is a reminder that there was beautiful, colorful, sounds bursting from the Chicago underground before Wilco exposed some of it’s seeds to the world.  10 years have passed, hipsters & developers moved in to take over the neighborhoods and some of these brilliant musicians moved west, east and out.   Some of you just missed it, this E.P.’s a reminder as to how great the ’90s Chicago underground indie scene was.

“All Most Heaven” is a little fertile musical reminder of a Pre-Yankee Chicago.

dD |  sMs

A delicate topic for many with family, friends, co-workers is ex-Illinois, Governor, Rod Blagojevich.

I see nothing wrong with what Blago has done.
At all.

By Andrew Whorehall

He’s an entertainer.
Why are we blaming him?
Blame the people who voted him into office to begin with, blame them.

Imprisoning him for implying corruption will mean nothing to us, the citizens of IL. Why?  I’m a state employee and Rod is not to blame for a top to bottom problem.

I joined a higher education system in the middle of a national recession after Rod was forced out. The system is upside down, the numbers do not lie when it comes to Illinois’s money problems. It’s worse than what you read about in the papers or hear about in the news.  In the last year I became a Post-Blago-Ryan (Bush-Clinton) State Budget Band-Aid.

For minimum wage I was hired to help students, ‘stock stuff”, assist ’18′ other staff members (all women- imagine that, some equal opportunity system if that’s even a concern anymore) with departmental tasks;  in other words, I’m a recession recovery act idiot who has to tuck in a shirt and look proper for minimum wage.  Note: this position required a worthless Bachelor’s degree and a test to take before being considered for employment.  While in the midst of state cuts and hiring freezes, they figured out I know how to manage an entire IT’s Dept. worth of work;  wiring, setup, installation and what nots.  Many things I was not hired to do.  There is an IT department.  After further thinking, I believe they knew exactly what they were doing when they hired me.  They saw the writing on their walls.   They know I know too much and now they’re draining me of every reason possible to consider working within a federal government organization ever again with my remaining time on earth.  I’m half dead, so says science.

I’ve become a State Budget Band-Aid which means I’m a f*cking awesome deal after taxes. The loudest red flag came courtesy of my boss, “You know, we don’t work here to make money.”  Huh? I only work to make money to pay my f*cking bills like everyone else- what f*cking planet are you from? The best that can happen as I see it now until 2012 is to get fired.

Hopefully this article is the bait that does such. I want exactly what every other single mom with 2 bratty kids in this city (and probably the state) has- a linq card. I want to go to Stop-N-Go on your tax dollars and buy some chocolate bars for dinner like I’ve witnessed many mothers do there.  I need a handout too working for a corrupt federal system that has figured out I can do 25 employees’ tasks for the cost of 1/5 to 1/6th of 1 Full time employee.  The system has become comfortable with mistreating hard working people vs. rewarding them. Wear them out, force them out- this is the new modern American way that began with cuts in auto & general manufacturing.  F*ck or be f*cked, and get used in due time is the writing on the wall I see.  The view from the bottom of the state totem pole is hilarious, mind boggling even.

We’re slowly getting to Blago, this is a long-winded setup… The allegation that Rod’s wife spent thousands of dollars on suits and closet apparel is nothing compared to the amount of time state of Illinois employees waste wondering if a 5-foot or a 10-foot ethernet cable is necessary for a new computer they don’t know how to unbox or wire.  Requesting a backup  drive from an IT staff member is like asking for $1,000.   The answer I was given was,   “Talk to your department head, see if they can cover the cost of that, it’ll only be $20 or so.  We can’t lend that to you.”  What a joke.

The system, top to bottom, is backwards and ridiculous.  However, I love it, it’s awesome for many creative reasons.  It’s been great research, the students are amazing and I’ve had decent conversations with people who have no idea they just said the most brilliant thing I’ll restate as if I came up with it when I leave my shifts.  It’s creative fuel, a very good minimum waged career choice for creative inspiration.  State workers recite the darnedest things.  In return, I try to do the same.  People live for these kinds of jobs, to wander unnoticed and paid within a very corrupt system that has only gotten worse.  The newspapers rarely get inside the truth;  they cover clouds, not the rain within.

I will not blame Rod– I will blame all of you idiots that voted for other idiots like Rod, George Jr., George Sr., Richard Cheney.  Remember Dan Quayle? Jesus, even Ronald Reagen became president in my lifetime– an actor became president, ahahahah– that’s insane.  Clinton & Gore are looking more and more like geniuses as the years pass, you’re all to be blamed for the people you put in power.  Thanks.  Rod is just another anti-hero. He is no different than the previous governors of Illinois aside from the hair style and last name.  Had he been born a Smith, Wilson, Anderson, Williams, Ryan, I doubt anyone would care.

Why do we expect our political leaders to be pure? Especially in Illinois. Why is the media so infatuated with Rod? His hair? Do they not know it’s a credential to be corrupt to be governor of Illinois? This is the same country that allowed 20 years of a Bush involved regime to exist. George Sr. had 12 total, and Jr. had 8.  It’s all math, we’re all doomed, and Illinois is just a puppet for larger problems inside the system.  Democracy does not exist, nothing is free and Blago’s just a poster boy for them to pin a tail to, to remind us the whole system is garbage.

I hope he walks away laughing, just like OJ.  They should put George Jr. and F*ckhead Cheney on trial for 8 long years of blind sighted corruption that I nor any American with a healthy thought process will ever forget.

Gov. Rod is an American Anti-hero, a new age comedian.
He has pulled off a great heist.
He implied corruption, yet never got caught pulling it off- correct?
He talked about it freely as if he knew he was being tapped by another corrupt system, the FBI, CIA, whoever.

Do you think anyone would care had his last name ended in anything other than a “-vich?”  Doubt it.  There’s deep rooted, socially flawed, good ol boy issues occurring that no one likes to talk about without fear of being called a racist.  Whites can be racist of other whites especially if their last names don’t culturally concur with those of the Wilsons, Andersons, Smiths, Hancocks, Williams, Johnsons and Bushs.  Johnson & Bush.

Our judicial system actually let OJ walk away scott free for actions we all know he committed, not implied.  We also let George and Dick walk away after 8 years without being judged in a court system legally for many lies and decisions that resulted in actions performed on mankind for land control…. oil.  Hell, we impeached Clinton for a blow job and we can’t touch the son of George Sr.?  Yet we’ll threaten to send the ex-governor of Illinois to the slammer for “talking” openly about political bargaining? Ahahahah, America, punchline.

Rod may not be the smartest or best lookin’ politician, but he undeniably has the best head of hair in the world!   He’s my long-shot favorite to walk away a free man from a system that has been corrupt for a long time. I hope deep down he gets a haircut when it’s said and done, turns to the camera and flips us all off, then takes the next year to grow it all back and repeat.  What a great Johnny Cash moment that would be.

Remember this when judging the ugliest;  We are America, we the people (not I) put the Bush family in power for 20 total years, that’s the only math you need for blind judgement. Punishing Blago, nor judging him, does not matter. We’re already screwed.

LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy wrote a great song, “New York, I love you, but you’re bringing me down.” Illinois doesn’t come close to deserving such a sentimental song after the estimated, half-lifetime I’ve spent here hoping it’ll get better. It won’t. Our decline from the inside is no different than Rome’s;  screwy leaders and slightly different hair styles.

aW  |  andy whorehall

The Pimps

The Pimps |  Part I:  A CD review of 2010′s “F*ck This Sh*t, We’re Outta Here” by The Pimps… disguised as a letter to the Rockford Register Star and other pathetic media outlets for dropping the ball for so long.

By Andrew Whorehall

“Oh those Bilderbergs and their kooky culling plans.”

“Dear People of Rockford & to the few, powerfully, negligent, local media outlets–  specifically the Rockford Register Star, The Pimps, should be cited as much as Cheap Trick- if not more.

I’m not implying you’ve ignored them for not recording a hit cover song like “The Flame” or an original like “Surrender.”  I am assuming they’re too non-tradtionally smart, volatile and explosive for your cultural, musical tastes.  With all the worries you have at the RRStar for censorship, stories from the wire, writers with no names, those large colorful digital pictures- it’s no wonder when ‘Freedom of Speech’ is doubted now a days.  See The NYTimes for many examples but I won’t look too far, I stay local and read between the lines.  Your hard edits are very visible to these eyes.  Could you be any more obvious?

I ask that you honor & respect The Pimps for poetically naming their new record as it is named.  For that alone, local honor is past due.

The record’s title, “F*ck This Sh*t, We’re Outta here,” is demographically poignant too. Add “Rockford, IL” to the end of their title line and you have one of the more successful city taglines forming one, classy, bumper sticker with a matching T-Shirt.  Said record of said title above is a gun-shot-blasted-love-letter-like-loaded-bullet written & made in our once great, industrial city.  Filled with American goodies and menacing spirits;  capitalism, weapons, partying, defeat,’FTSWOH’ is one of the midwest’s finest, punk, American recordings to come out of Rockford, IL- ever.  It’s a loud, proud, middle finger to the establishment from an economic wasteland that doubles as ground zero for dead end dreams and empty, once colorful, balloons– this is the Rockford, IL you should be reporting with urgency and explosiveness.

Face it RRStar.  Your articles are cupcakes generally filled with air.  Cupcakes are best eaten, not read.  That’s this writer’s opinion, not Sock Monkey’s, leave them out of it.  Fortunately they believe in Freedom Of Speech too as long as no one gets hurt.   Generally that seems like a pretty easy social rule to follow.  I know I’m not alone.  Get to know the people who do think for themselves,  the people that are closer to the ground than the moon.  The truth is down here in the river filth and the industrial aftermath.  Have you read your own Classified Jobs section?

A serious question disguised as a joke was just posed to me by two people on separate occasions, neither the med student or the professional knows each other.  The question turned joke was, “Did THE ONION buy the RRstar out?”

Where is this going?

Please don’t change a thing, just do what you can, to talk about the bands you ignore once in awhile.  It helps the artists and the community know a bit more about a proud, defeated hometown that has wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much talent drowning here.  You’re not helping as much as you could be, RRStar.

Why does this concern The Pimps?  This is their most cohesive album to date and possibly their last.  Either way, people ‘not’ from Rockford, IL, should know more about this band too.  This is where you have failed dear city and media of mine for years already by not assisting in a little PR when you had your chance.  WZOK, your mallhair is wearing and sounding a bit too thin.  WXRX, eat a d*ck sandwich for sucking so hard for so long.  RRStar, change your name to, ‘The Onion Jr.’

To all the media outlets in and around Rockford, IL, you’re no different than the major label that cut The Pimps from their budget in 99, trying to blindly leave them behind.  Well, no thanks to you, Rockford, IL, they’ve managed to run a decent hardworking, punk operation anyway for 16 years.  Another job well done.  This is for Sock Monkey Sound and for The Pimps. I salute you.  To the city of Rockford and to the RRStar plus other regional media outlets, iFinger you, wholeheartedly.

Regards,

Andrew Whorehall

PS:  Let me state a point that may have gone missing above (as this letter may be a bit passive, fueled by years of ‘dead air’ readings of the RRStar, and just maybe a little misdirected);  one of the best kept rock n’ roll secrets is Rockford, IL’s punk scene.  How is it that such a fertile ground for amazing musical talent keeps to itself without the industry (what remains of it) blowing its cover?  Easy.  Musicians, bands, songwriters from the midwest have a great knack for shooting themselves in the foot.  Whether it’s done ironically or because it’s our Gah Damn a’Merican right to do it, we’ve some how managed to do it better than most scenes.  It’s a pride thing, I guess.  All of this great music has been boiling over for a long time.  Call it a typical midwestern burden to bear but I’m calling it a joke that’s ran out of laughs.  This self-deprecating attitude is for math rockers and progressive jazz musicians high on country folk abnormalities.  1)  God knows math is not the people of Rockford’s specialty and 2) progressive-jazz-country-folk is for as*holes. You’re welcome.

Unlike other successful, touring, midwestern bands who were ashamed to call Rockford, IL, their home young in their careers in the 70s and 80s (um, Cheap Trick/Chicago, IL), The Pimps, embraced their roots from the get go often citing Loves Park and Machesney Park as their home-base before settling on the always marketable city name, “Rockford, IL.”  It actually worked for them somehow.  Signing a major label deal in 1999 saw the re-release of their self-made debut record, “To a Cool Person, Stay that Way.”  A punk-funk rock record that was made in Loves Park, IL, at the old Noise Chamber Studios in 1996 and 1997.   The band has been together since 1994 but their roots as friends go much deeper together.  Tony (Bass) & Stu (Vocal/Guitar) have been best friends since they left their mothers respectable wombs.  It starts there. The Pimps are a family of brothers as much as they are a band of musicians.

A well-scripted situation occurred soon after signing with a major label.  About the same time The Pimps were told to change the name of their follow up record the industry was changing, cutting budgets and cutting artists.  ”More Songs About Drugs With Curse Words,”  was made by the same local team (Jimmy Johnson / Noise Chamber) in Rockford instead of agreeing to the label’s L.A. production request.  15 months into a contract, having been featured on the “Mission:  Impossible” soundtrack and various TV song plugs, The Pimps decided they wouldn’t change their record title after one of their label’s parent company reps, Disney, got whiff of it and made a request– and so went The Pimps, another budget cut.

For the better, they worked themselves out of it in control of their career with nothing lost and everything to gain. They already established themselves as a great, touring band with subtle business sensibilities.  The Pimps, to this day, actually still sell merch at every show and get from town to town in a van with equipment towing the rear. The way bands used to- or could simply afford to.  They’ll tell you first hand, ‘it’s not glamourous, gas prices have gone up- blah blah’ but their van is so much smarter than your band’s f*cking van.

As the whole industry took a dump and blamed downloaders in the last decade, a band like The Pimps kept movin on to their own beat. They’ve self-released 9 full length records, they sell their own singles online, pay for their own merch production,  pay for their records production- and they tour playing dives 150 nights a year or more.  Many years ago, they (like this writer as well) figured out how to take care of themselves in an economically depressed city called, Rockford, IL.  Some of their last decade’s releases are hit or miss.  Great recorded live moments exploded with color on their alter-ego (Sons of Many Bitches) country punk band’s release, “Outlaw Gold MotherF*cker” and it’s companion EP, “Apparently Uninterested in a Life of Creative Growth or Social Relevance.”  At the same time they released, “Quickly Now Gentlemen, With a Lively Step.”

Working, recording, teaching instrument lessons, touring and earning their right to be as lazy when they want to be while we sit at computers in a lame working environment between 8am to 7pm fulfilling someone’s leftover ideas & rules to follow about the American Dream and making money.  What a farce.  The Pimps, repeatedly, make me feel like a sucker everytime I tuck ina shirt and put on khakis.  Why?  Khakis are for church, funerals or even worse, weddings.  Those recent recorded releases sit together as key discography door openers to what happened next in the studio for The Pimps.

“F*ck This Sh*t, We’re Outta Here,” or as I’ll type it for the rest of the article will be referred to as,  FTSWOH.  Not for censorship reasons;  but for typing alone, early arthritis-enabling concerns are on the mind.  This f*ckˆng wrist is killin’ me between writing about music, playing music while designing for other musicians and clients who wear khakis.  Let’s not forget the precious times I have with myself too; lighting a candle, body oil, me on me for hours on end trying to listen to Sáde, slow deep breaths… dogs barking, lawn mowers buzzing.  Nothing kills the mood more like white people in America making domestic noises while their mistrained dogs bark uncomfortably allllll day when you’re trying to get a little love on yourself in the daytime.  Gals are cool too for these kinds of moments, but at some point it does become a financial investment that’s guaranteed to lose more than gain.  Whatever, we’re all gonna lose, mother nature, she or cancer has the cards that read that one line I’ve ripped off from Bob Dylan in his f-you masterpiece of a song, “Desolation Row.” Over and over I recite that line.  Anyway.

Let’s define a band?  Men, once kids, who set out on a mission together as friends & musicians, making mistakes together and enjoying success together.  Another simple us vs. them, old school, rock n’ roll rule… where did that rock n’ roll business sensibility go to?  Did MTV, American Idol, destroy it?  Seems like it, just “blame downloaders.”  The Pimps are five great musicians tied together by some strange brotherly thing you only hear in guys that stay together for a very long time. It’s unheard of now-a-days. Watching them perform live is one of is one of the midwest’s great punk thrills.  They work harder than any local politician, aldermen, etc., when they perform out their perfect, collective craft.  They are truly one of Rockford, IL’s finest artist ensembles to watch live.  They’ll have you questioning yourself;  ”Is this punk?  Is this country?  Is this just rock n’ roll?  Or is this comedy?” Playing music for a living is hard work, it’s supposed to be funny too, yes.  Otherwise, go put on your khakis and tuck in your Target shirt, paint on that perfect smile and die one day.  Sounds like fun.

Stu, Tony, Todd, Hilly and Dave.  Hell, throw road manager G.T.in there.  G.T. is to The Pimps as Albert Grossman was to Dylan, calling the shots most of the time on when, where, how but mainly he’s their friend too.  Albert wasn’t really Bob’s friend, he was a great, Jewish businessman with a monetary agenda that drove Dylan’s musical agenda.  Add different times, different clothes obviously.  To be able to call out the guys’ names like John, Paul, George & Ringo is unheard of now.  Think about it.  Ryan Adams dumped Whiskeytown– whoever they were (Cary Caitlin and Phil Whateversher) and the midwest’s own recent major signing, Cory Chisel, does as he wishes with or without the original Wandering Sons.  It’s just how it is now a days.  Labels can’t quite act like large greedy banks anymore.

The business of music is as suicidal as it’s ever been.  The industry cares about the songwriter in most contractual cases, how does he look first, then, how does he sound?  IS the band good looking too?  IF not, haircuts?  This is one of many selfish, liable contracted reasons why labels ruined their own sales in the 2000s, not downloaders.  Labels used to be known as an artist’s bank.  Now, where I come from? We all know artists can barely pay for a sandwich let alone the 1 million dollars they’re expected to owe back after distribution and touring slots opening for some sh*tty band like Seven Mary 3.  It’s a self-made, self-imploding, a’Merican influenced, capitalist joke of a system set up to steal or fail at some point.  Every artist gets cut at some point.  Even the great ones.  Think about every great label, their heyday, the great records, artists they released… seems like Sony or Time Warner owns everything and every contracted artist in some way, shape or form ends up owned by these 2 conglomerate media monsters… suckers or survivors?

Well, not The Pimps, for better or worse they don’t seem to care where they fit in.

The road alone has taken them to this;  their 2010 release “F*ck This Sh*t, We’re Outta Here,” is a local gem of a production I’m proud to call my hometown’s own.  Not just as an artistic statement but as a pro-Freedom of Speech, American statement.  It’s an explosive, ‘go f*ck yourself and the establishment you represent,’ guitar rock, punk record with honest, lyrical sentiments dressed up in swear words.  The record bursts with great production and tones courtesy of Mark Gustafson (Recording / Engineering), Ed Dulian (Mixing) and Justin Perkins (Mastering) bringing out the aggressive tight performances that have always been known for.  They’ve never sounded this catchy either.

It’s a manipulative listening experience; smart pop-punk songs about capitalism, the music industry, working hard, partying hard, remaining relevant in a cruel world, accepting defeat, doubting victory, sharing the successes or pleasures we all seek, right and wrong. If Tom Waits’ hooked up with the Arctic Monkeys for a weekend binge, well, this is what happens when you get Tom going 130 miles an hour trapped in a Rockford, IL garage.  I’m on to you Stu Johnson;  excessively long song titles and an impressive record collection can’t fool everyone.

Influences run deep on FTSWOH, american desert blues and british garage rock trade rhythm and licks between “A Good Mechanic is Hard to Find” and “These Are The Things, I Know, I Know.” Don’t be ashamed to slam dance in your own kitchen. By the time you get to “Now Michael, it’s just T.V.” you’re ready for an ice cold beer and a foot stompin horse gallop through the house to the front door, lock it.  Now, gals, guys, grab your man or woman or whatever you prefer– this record is it, the perfect accidental aphrodisiac.  Wear a contraceptive, please. FTSWOH gets down and dirty right away, no time to waste, the sun is goin, goin, gone, get movin, try that one thing upside down. Smiles for everyone– including the neighbors and the friends stopping by your house you won’t hear knocking for minutes on end.  This is a fun, explosive, intelligent rock record worthy of many repeated, satisfying listens.

“Oh Those Bilderbergs & Their Kooky Culling Plan” is one of the catchiest a’Merican folk-rock POP songs you’ll hear this year with the worst song title.  Some glorious, fuzz guitar leads dance around Todd’s congo drums.  Normally this is a recipe for pop song failure or an easy way to contract a musical disease called, Don Henley-itis , but the song is some sorta punk-folk-rock-blues a’Mmmmerican magic. ‘Bilderberg’s…‘ may be Stu’s finest documentation as a quick witted, lyricist with something more to say when the reverb is turned down and the crowd goes away;

“If it’s their job to break our hearts,
they’re payed quite well.
Well, I’m not impressed I must remark.
If I had to guess how it all unraveled and came apart?
Well, It’s their job to break our hearts.”

Again.

Dear Rockford Register Star and to other media outlets from this strange place and beyond, please open your ears to one, loud, manic, swan song of a punk-pop record made by one of the Midwest’s great, independent, American, veteran, punk acts.  There’s 2 cover art versions, same songs, however; I prefer the one with the bearded American man eating the large dong sandwich on the cover.

Try to sit still and listen, you’ll possibly fail as you find yourself wondering when one song ends and the other begins. The rewards lay within pausing to replay and sing along with a laugh;  ”I.M. ‘Merica” or handclap your fists off with, “Gun says,’Yes’.”  Again, to repeat myself, the tones, the guitars, the pace, Mark Gustafson (Recording / Engineering) and Ed Dulian (Mixing) should be proud of their tag team effort.  FTSHOH breezes by so quick you’ll forget where your head is at by the time the last song hits– the title song.  It’s a toast to Rockford, the Midwest, hardwork, broken dreams, accepting defeat and sharing successes while singing about it with your friends one last time, moving on and out.  As 33 minutes end, ‘FTSWOH’ is an ultimate toast to themselves and to the hard work they’ve completed as a band of musicians, friends, brothers, family and to the cross roads they’re now at, personally and artistically.

“F*ck this sh*t, we’re outta here.”  Or not.”

dD  |  andywhorehall.com

____________________

The band authorized a free download of one MP3 song to share from their newest record, “Fuck This Shit We’re Outta Here.” Click here to download:

“Oh those Bilderbergs and their kooky culling plans.”

A cultural memoir on baseball and life featuring a life lesson by future Hall of Famer,  Mr. Gregory “Halfway to a Nap” Maddux.

By Andrew Whorehall

Another midsummer classic approaches.  What do we know about baseball in 2010?  The lack of steroid use means achilles heal injuries and home run counts have simmered down?  Yes, drastically.  Coincidence?  Nah.  Albert Pujols’ last name is pronounced, “Poo-holes?”  Yes.  The Chicago Cubs still suck?  Yes.  No one still cares about the Chicago White Socks and the Milwaukee Drunks?  Yes and yes.

Nothing has really changed since I dumped my first love, baseball, in 2003.

For years I let that selfish b*tch come around every spring to apologize for the previous seasons disrespectful and lazy actions.  And every year till the spring of 2004, I accepted those apologies.  After awhile I realized she, Baseball, wasn’t the hooker- I was.  I loved being used, tossed around while wasting time and my emotions on a careless activity- baseball.  I allowed the heartbreak to happen with the passing of seasons, repeatedly.

All the years wasted supporting losers (Cubs), putting my faith in a flawed organization that only cared about taking more and more, dollar after dollar, tear after beer, year after year.  At the end of each season I told myself, “no more, no more next year.”  And every spring I took her back in.

The first taste of heartbreak was 1984.  The ’84 boys of summer got me good.  Every boy wanted to be Ryne Sandberg followed by Jody Davis, Keith Moreland, Bobby Dernier, Lee Smith, Rick Sutcliffe, Sarge Matthews,  Larry Bowa, Ron Cey… man, Leon Durham, so many characters on that team.

Game 5 against the Padres, a series-season ending loss after being up 2 games to 0, was my first taste of real Cubbie heartbreak.  I actually cried at my cousins house who made fun of me and my team after game 5 ended- over baseball.  I put all my energy into that team that year.  Coming home after school, summer break, back to school, trying to catch each game being played on the radio or special airings on Channel 39 was how I spent most of 1984.  I still remember Steve Trout’s 1-hitter… Ryno’s 2 homers against the Cards and Bruce Sutter, it was a Saturday afternoon in June.  I’ve never forgotten these moments.  They’ve stayed with me as much as they’ve scarred me.

Sickness.  Baseball became a sickness.  1984 put the burn in me, the first real taste of heartbreak.  To cry over something so meaningless like a sport was pretty new.  The only thing to compare it to now is the year, 1998.  Remember the feeling of losing ‘the one’ you thought was ‘the one’ but really wasn’t ‘the one?’  Yeah we all got those, difference is- I could’ve been married with children now.  What a horrible way to commit suicide.

No one really cared too much about the 1989 or 98 Cubs, flukes from the get go and 1984 stil stung after all those years.  Flash forward to 2003.  That was it, that team had the best chance since ’84′s team to go to the World Series for the first time since 1945– and blew it as only a Cub team could do in dramatic fashion.  That season slow-dripped and drained whatever leftover love I had reserved inside for baseball.  I knew when 2003 ended, my love for baseball was without a pulse.

It’s now 2010.  I hate baseball, most sports, more than ever.  There are better things to do with time.  Like writing about how much I loathe sports in general is one.  Putting faith in a team to win seems less rewarding than a decent bowel movement now a days.  Two major rewards came from my self-imposed emotional exile from baseball:

1) I can go to a game and cheer for everyone, including the fans.  I can boo everyone, both teams included, without owing allegiance to one team- it’s enjoyable and the snack food is wonderful.

2) # 2 is loaded.  Soon after the Cubs blew their chances with 5 outs to go to get to the World Series in 2003, I wrote future hall of fame pitcher & ex-Cub, Greg Maddux.  I wrote him for advice, seeking some pointers on how to possibly become a Cardinals fan after a lifetime of supporting lovable losers.

Years later, he finally wrote me back, see below.

Dear Andrew,

You asked me about curve balls, Americans, baseball, switching allegiance and litter. Good questions young lad.  Do you enjoy cigars?  Have one and put up your feet, it’s time to read and relax… your distaste for many, the Cubs, extends to the dugout and beyond, young lad.

I’ll get to curve balls in a second.  I fall asleep each night wondering when America’s children are going to litter.  If they’re alone or with friends– or if they decided those 24 cans of Icehouse were a good thing to enjoy on my property as I slept.  This concerns me more as each sunset passes.

In this case, a knuckleball is being called– wave it off and play smart.  The piss in the can was sure enough to knock one of them out!  I’m a veteran baseball player just like Nolan ‘No-Hit’ Ryan was but much slower, Andy.  I’m smarter and if I must add, endowed- obviously.  Do you know how many times I’ve adjusted myself between the loins knowing a national TV audience and 40 t housand people in the stands are watching?  Laughs on me America, here’s my hand to the nuts and adjust!

Meanwhile, I threw my fastball already and it breezed right by him.  Even the crowd missed it somehow;  drinking their 6th beer by the 5th inning.  That’s to be expected, they’re only there for the party anyway.  Blind suckers never catch a scuff if I need to throw one, they’re too drunk to care!  That’s baseball 101 for all veteran pitchers.  For you Andy?  That goes for life too.

Missing on a strike 3 it should have been an out.  The catcher missed it too and the batter ran to first base like luck would have it.  The catcher failed his part, regroup, calm down, wait for luck to hook up with karma cause that’s what baseball is really about.  Right?

Young ‘Drew, you asked me about curve balls, Americans, baseball and litter.  I seem to have run off course.

At any moment it can all fall apart. Take game 6 of the Cubs-Marlins playoff series, 2003, 8th inning, 5 outs away from “somethin special” you and the purists may have thought.  My old organization got it good when lady luck and cahcah karma hooked up for a historical f*ckfest!  Cub fans are foolish, to believe in baseball at all, this is just a business young lad.

Face it Andy, from the time I spent working for that organization to the time they let me wander off to become the hall of fame pitcher I became with the Atlanta Braves, I offer you what I know:   they’re quite the losers but not as lovable as they proclaim.  They’re self-defeated drunks at the end of the day.  It’s their life to waste, you are correct.  Go ahead and thank Moises, Steve, but thank Coach Dusty for being scientifically inadequate with pitchers and mathematically daring with pitch count.  That’s why you and others will always be 5 outs away in your hearts when remembering 2003.

Count on your intuition, Andy, always.

What goes around sure did spin like demon seed spirits on the hunt for the ghost and the egg on that night, game 6, 2003, Wrigley.  ”Hell yeah!” I yelled at my TV screen in happiness the moment it all fell apart for the Wrigley Field Faithful- I NEVER YELL.  Want to know why ‘Drew?  I’m Greg, ‘Halfway to a Nap,’ Maddux, afterall.  Watching the Cub faithfuls on TV pee their pants to flood the field was better than all my Cy Youngs and the 1995 World Series ring combined!

Back to baseball and your letter;  he advanced to 2nd on a walk, I got lazy.  Pushing his luck, he foolishly tried to steal home from 2nd.  Stupid f*cker must’ve forgotten there’s rules when you get to the majors right out of high school.  Now me?  I’m just wondering what happened, there’s a job to finish by now.  Have to play smart but a ‘not quite caught-off-guard’ Umpire whispers, “You’re an idiot. you’re out.”

I’m scientifically half dead according to medicine;  step off the mound and call the coach.  Teams do have relief.

To answer your question about becoming an ex-patriot, it’s never too late to be a Cardinals fan, so yes, go for it.  Do as your grandfather advised wisely (and jokingly) on that 1984 bus ride to hell’s cemetery known as Wrigley Field;  ”One day you’ll get tired of supporting losers.  I did, 1945, right after coming home, game 7, another loss.  That time was it, losing to Detroit was it but at least we won the war.”

On this bus you wrote me about there was 1 Cardinal fan, your grandfather, sporting that red mesh hat, and 41 Cub fans including you.   I’m sure you know by now, 26 years later, that his advice to give up on losers who love to lose was serious.  Who had the last laugh that day on the bus ride home?  The single Cardinal fan, That’s right, your grandfather was a genius.

Think about all the time & emotion spent that’s passed between 1984 and now.  Has anything else come along to defeat your boyhood dreams so tragically like the 1984 Cubs?  I doubt it, 2003 was just the stamp on the envelope you sent to me, correct?  They destroyed many kids’ dreams that year and created new Cardinals fans 26 years later.

The fine folks at Edgy Podcast Reviews (www.edgypodcastreviews.com) gave us a double 3 1/2 (out of 5) star rating on Episode 92 of their podcast. Thanks to Daniel and Jana for taking the time to listen to our show and reviewing it. They do a good job of promoting the medium of podcasting and introducing people to some new shows out there. Feel free to visit their site and give em’ some love.

Jim Hanke, this weeks Sock Monkey Sound guest, sent the following email to us last night. He mentioned this promo to us on the episode and we thought we would make it easy for all of our listeners if we just posted a link to the site below. In addition to Kid, You’ll Move Mountains album ‘Loomings’ you also can download songs by the other bands playing the show; Venna, Picture Books, and Crayolala. This is a limited time offer during the month of December so take advantage while you can and don’t forget to download the flier to get into the show for free.

Hello,
In lead-up to our date Saturday, January 2nd at the Metro, our group has teamed up along with the others performing that night and have launched a new site today:

http://www.greatestshowever.com

This site has each group’s latest release, including our full-length Loomings, for FREE DOWNLOAD.
It also has a printable ticket for FREE ADMISSION to the Metro show, before 9pm.

Please feel free to get word out via any and all publications, Twitters, Facebooks, etc and certainly let us know if you have any further questions or would like to assist further in any press opportunities.

Happy holidays!
Jim

PS – Kid, You’ll Move Mountains also performs live on the WGN TV Midday News on Thursday, Dec 31st!

We were featured in the Rockford Register Stars Go Section and on their website. Check out the piece they compiled here http://go.rrstar.com/music OR you can read the entire piece below. Notice the nuance and the attributed quotes in the piece below. Then take a look at the watered down and controversially devoid interpretation on their site. Not that there’s anything wrong with it but they took all the juicy bits out. Thanks to Lisa Glowinski and the staff at rrstar.com for featuring us.

Podcast name:
Sock Monkey Sound Music & Culture Podcast

Web site or contact info:
www.sockmonkeysound.com

Members:
Hosted by Brandon Lutmer, Chip Copeland, and Patrick Delehanty. Recorded at M.I.A. Studios by Mark Gustafson.

Started in:
August 2009

What is Sock Monkey Sound?
Chip Copeland: We’re a podcast and website that you can find online. A podcast is similar to a radio show, but we’re not under the same rules as terrestrial radio stations in terms of content and time structures. We talk about music and pop culture, and play songs by local, regional, and the occasional national artist or band. In addition to Rockford we also cover the Midwest region as well and have a large following in the Atlanta area. Due to the Internet and iTunes we’ve been able to cultivate an audience that extends beyond our little corner of the world.

Patrick Delehanty: Along with that aspect of the show, we also interview local artists and musicians in a loose and uncensored talk show format where the guest can relax and be themselves. Not only do we give them the opportunity to promote their upcoming shows or projects, sometimes we’ll just talk about breakfast cereal, TV shows, or random silliness; nothing to serious. It enables us to have fun with the guest, they can be themselves and not have to worry about constraints; and I feel like the listeners can really connect with the guest in a way that they can’t in a more “mainstream” media outlet interview.

Mark Gustafson: We’ve also done topical, roundtable style shows on local issues that matter to us, as musicians and fans of music, such as the current state of the On the Waterfront Festival in Rockford. We feel as if a certain segment of the population of music fans in Rockford are under served by how the festival has been run and what acts have been booked. While we’re certainly not experts on the subject of how to successfully organize or run such a festival, we do have opinions as to what we think a vibrant and relevant music festival could look like in downtown Rockford. It surprises me when people tell me that they listened to that episode and enjoyed our loony, coffee fueled ramblings. We’re planning a RAMI episode that I’m sure will ruffle some feathers.

What’s the inspiration for the name of the show?
Brandon Lutmer: We really were trying to come up with something that would be lighthearted, but also reflect and identify the fact that we’re a show based in Rockford. We didn’t want to try and play on the name of the town and tie it into rock music. It’s been done before and it seemed like a lame idea to us.

Patrick Delehanty: The Sock Monkey on the other hand is Rockford’s equivalent to Mickey Mouse. It has universal cultural appeal, but seems totally Rockford at the same time.

How did Sock Monkey Sound come together?
Chip Copeland: Blame me. I’m a podcast junky because I work in front of a computer all day. On one of those days I was listening to the Sound Opinions podcast and Jim DeRogatis, pop music critic at The Chicago Sun-Times and co-host of Sound Opinions, said in his review of the Cheap Trick record ‘The Latest’, and I quote, “Cheap Trick, a band from Rockford Illinois, not exactly a hotbed of rock and roll”. When I heard that I cursed at my computer for 10 minutes. I guess his comment fired me up a bit. While Cheap Trick is a Rockford institution and I respect them and enjoy their music, they are not the only talented band around these parts.

Brandon Lutmer: There are tons of great underground bands of all genres that play original music in the area. And it seemed to us that these groups just needed a voice to get out there. All four of us play in local bands that perform original music and each one of us understands how difficult it is to try and get the word out to people.

Chip Copeland: I called up Mark and told him my initial idea to do a “Rockford Invasion” episode on a podcast recorded by my friends Walk to Run Records based in Atlanta. I knew Brandon had done a radio show in college and thought he would add a little more polish as a host, as well as the fact that he’s huge music geek. Initially Brandon and I would be the hosts and Mark would record the show. On the night of recording the fill in episode, Brandon brought Patrick along and just for kicks we threw him on the microphone as a guest.

Mark Gustafson: Surprisingly, it was a blast. We had so much fun with the three of them hosting and me behind the recording console that the four of us decided to do a weekly show. And Sock Monkey Sound was born.

Who are some of the guests you’ve had on so far?
Patrick Delehanty: Dan McMahon, guitarist for Miles Neilson and Cameron McGill; Marky and Heather Hladish from the band Venna, Jason Beatty, Arik Jenkins from Guzzardo’s Performance Music, Warren Franklin, White Moose, Joe Reina, Kevin Schwitters, and Dave Pedersen; just to name a few. All heave been great guests.

What does the future hold for Sock Monkey Sound?
Brandon Lutmer: Well, I think we want to build our listener base, and our online community. At the same time we want to continue to improve and refine the show. We recently have started posting articles by contributors on our website, such as Alex Danger Stewart. He’s a trip and Danger really is his middle name.

Mark Gustafson: Another idea is to incorporate more shows about the local culture, in addition to the local musician who play original music. Rockford does have a good size art scene and cultural entities such as theater groups. Not many towns our size have a symphony orchestra.

Chip Copeland: Yeah, we think branching out beyond just local musicians as guests will help draw attention to a rich cultural scene in Rockford that many area residents seem to ignore or don’t know about because it’s not on the east side of town.
Brandon Lutmer: At the same time we realize our show probably won’t be for everybody. Still, hopefully we can show both local residents, and the wider global audience, another side of Rockford that they never knew existed.

Where can people find Sock Monkey Sound?
Sockmonkeysound.com is the place you can listen and download weekly episodes. You can also subscribe to and download the show through iTunes or on pod catching websites such as podcast.com, podcastalley.com, or podfeed.net. Leaving a review on any of these sites also helps us to reach a wider audience.